


Just a Moment or Two

by canadiankazz



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade - L.A. By Night (Web Series)
Genre: Blood Magic, F/M, Fluff, Nosferatu (Vampire: The Masquerade), Sharing a Bed, Tremere (Vampire: The Masquerade), Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 13:24:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19151914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadiankazz/pseuds/canadiankazz
Summary: Eva spends time in Jasper's sanctum.Spoilers for Season 3, Episode 2 "Love and Fear." Set after the end of the episode.





	Just a Moment or Two

**Author's Note:**

> Well, hell... the intensity ship kind of blindsided me, not going to lie. I'm not mad though. I'll ship Jasper with anyone who makes him happy. This was one of those fics that kind of bubbled under my skin for a while, then when I started writing it all came out in a rush.
> 
> Thank you to L (AKA: Cravatfiend) for her feedback, editing, and squee, and thanks to cordsycords for the little extra encouragement.

“The first thing we should do,” Eva said after they returned to Jasper’s sanctum, “is adjust my ward so that you may touch me without fear.”

Jasper had almost forgotten about that amidst everything that had happened in the past ten minutes or so. Part of him felt like he was still floating. He could still feel the ghost of her lips on his. He licked his fangs. “Oh, yes. Um... you said you needed my blood for that.”

Eva was still a little amused by how flustered he was. He had been like this all night. It was a sweet, soft side of him she suspected he rarely, if ever, showed to anyone else. “Yes, please. In a bowl or container, if you have one.”

“Um… yeah, I don’t…” Jasper took a second to compose himself. When there was thaumaturgy to be done, he had to concentrate. “I don’t have a nice silver one like yours, but I have something that should still work.” He led her through back into the library, pausing along the way to collect a cheap tupperware bowl he had salvaged.

Eva tried not to smile when she saw the tupperware. “Unconventional, but it should do, yes. Now… what I am going to do is mix both your Vitae and mine in here, then I will re-draw the ward on myself. That should allow you to able to touch me. It will mean… that I will have to take my shirt off though, temporarily, to draw the wards onto my skin.”

Jasper’s eyes went wide. He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bouncing. “Uh…”

Eva giggled at his reaction. “You don’t have to look. You can give me privacy if you wish, but…” she took a deep breath. She knew this was going to be a bold move, as bold if not more so than the kiss had been. “It’s alright with me as well if you do not want to look away.”

Eva was so glad she had returned to L.A. She had missed Griffith Park, the Observatory, but above all, she had missed Jasper very much. She had always kind of liked him, this sad creature who was ugly but also deeply beautiful in his own way. She had found him as a terrified and lost neonate in Griffith Park five years ago. She had talked him out of committing suicide by sunlight by promising to answer all his questions about his new condition, and then tempting him further when she discovered that his love for the occult nearly rivaled her own. It was almost a shame he had not been embraced into her clan. He would have been a wonderful Tremere.

Ever since then, he had gone out of his way to aid her in whatever she asked, often risking his life to do so. The war between the Anarchs and the Ivory Tower was starting to heat up again and Jasper was in the thick of it. She knew he had no wish to be, that he would rather be left in peace, but such things were sadly impossible at this point in time. Eva was painfully aware that any night now, she might lose him permanently. She had already lost one beloved Kindred in tragic circumstances. She wanted to make sure, should anything happen to either of them, that Jasper knew how she truly felt about him. That’s why she had given him the ring, and why she had accepted his every invitation tonight.

It was why she had kissed him.

“Um… I-I think that… I will give you your privacy,” Jasper stuttered.

Eva wondered if he had always been so flustered in romantic situations and guessed that yes, yes he had been. She made a mental note to perhaps ask Chloe about that later.

“Very well,” she said. She sat on the sofa and Jasper sat next to her. “Fill this a little more than half way with your blood, please,” she requested, gesturing to the plastic bowl.

Jasper pulled up his sleeve on his left arm and placed his wrist to his mouth. She glimpsed his fangs as he bit himself. His fangs were very large, long and sharp. She had felt them in her kiss.

He gritted his teeth as he held his hand over the bowl and forced his Vitae out. It dripped and flowed from the bite mark, thick and dark red. It smelled divine, and she knew it would taste bitter and melancholic, like a rich red wine.

Jasper filled the bowl as instructed, then licked his wrist to close the wound. He watched as Eva did the same, biting into her wrist with her own pointed teeth. Her Vite was older than Jasper’s and had a back note of sweetness to it, like lavender and snapdragons. She free measured out a carefully practiced amount into the tupperware with Jasper’s, then closed her wound. She stirred their Vitae together in the bowl with her finger, muttering arcane words to herself under her breath. Jasper watched, entranced.

Eva paused and looked up at Jasper, her blue eyes meeting his. “Now is the time for you to give me privacy, if you are going to.”

Jasper stood up very quickly, almost knocking over the bowl of blood. They both chuckled. “Sorry! Sorry… I’ll just um… I’ll be in the hall…” He gestured behind himself, backing up.

“I will call when I’m done,” Eva said with a warm smile.

Jasper nodded and disappeared around the corner.

Eva allowed herself a very faint laugh and then, careful not to get any Vitae on herself just yet, peeled off her shirt. She set it carefully aside. She dipped her finger into the mix of Vitae again and started to draw the protective runes and symbols up both her arms, across her chest and shoulders, her stomach and what she could reach of her back. Eva knew the protection would spread across the rest of her body, not just to the parts she had marked. What little Vitae remained in the bowl afterwards, she drank, holding the bowl in both her hands. She paused, head back, blood staining her fangs crimson, allowing herself and her Beast a moment to relish the Vitae. She licked the bowl clean.

For all she knew, Jasper had been watching her from the shadows. She no longer had her Auspex powers active. She would not have been mad if he did spy on her, but she suspected that he had been good and had respected her privacy.

Eva wiped the Vitae off her skin and cleaned herself up. The new ward was in place. She put her shirt back on.

“You can come back in now,” she called.

Jasper’s pale face peered almost shyly around the archway. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

“Shall we test it?” she offered.

Jasper took a step towards her, but hesitated. She arched a white eyebrow at him.

“Do you trust me?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered instantly.

Eva held out her hand, but did not touch him. She was going to make him take that step.

Bracing himself, he did. Jasper reached out and initiated contact. His cold, white fingers met hers, both wearing dark nail polish.

Nothing happened.

Jasper sighed in relief and touched Eva’s shoulder. His fingers trailed down her back. She smiled at him again. “Now you are safe.”

“That’s good. Thank you,” he said softly.

“Of course. Now… can I ask you a favour?”

“Sure,” he chuckled with a faint snarl. She could have asked him almost anything and he would have been likely to say yes.

“May I look at the labyrinth book, please?”

“Oh, um… sure. Yes.” Jasper picked up the ancient tomb and passed it to her. She took it carefully.

“Thank you.”

They spent the next several hours reading together. The time flew by until they both began to feel the ancient, primal tug of sleep in their blood. Dawn was approaching, and it was time to rest.

“You… um… I’ve kept you here too long, I’m sorry,” Jasper said with concern. “You might not have time to make it home before dawn.”

“Well… may I sleep here then?” she asked politely. “Please?”

Jasper’s heart would have leapt out of his chest if it could. “I… yes! Yes you may. Of course.”

Eva held his hand and stroked his skin with her thumb. “Thank you.”

“You can have the bed. I insist. You’re my guest.” Jasper chuckled a little. He had never had guests down here before. He had intruders in the past, and plenty of prisoners, but never guests.

“But where will you sleep?”

“On a sofa… or on the floor. I slept on the ground for weeks before I got a bed down here.”

Eva frowned, not liking the mental image of him curled on the ground like an animal in his own sanctum. But… he had insisted. “Well… alright.”

Jasper led her to his bedroom. It was quite barren and undecorated. His bed was a single with a cheap frame and a low headboard. He never had any reason to believe he would ever have to share it. The sheets were black and rumpled though the bed was roughly made. There were two pillows. “Um… it’s not the most comfortable in the world, but…” Jasper shrugged. It would have to do.

Eva smiled at him kindly. “Jasper, it will be fine. Thank you.” She gave him a hug. He was still getting used to the intimate touching, but he managed not to flinch or pull away. Slowly, his arms went around her too. He was glad he didn’t have Blush of Life. His heart would have been racing and his palms sweaty. He had gone through all that nonsense in high school and the first years of college, back when he was just the weird, nerdy kid who girls would giggle at and everyone would tease.

He thought back to his coterie jeering at him whenever he and Eva were in the same room together, or even if he mentioned her name.

Some things never change.

He pulled back after a moment and cleared his throat. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

Jasper backed out of the room and closed the door most of the way, leaving it ajar. He retreated to the library and lay back on the sofa. It was far too short for him. He had to bend his knees up. He snarled to himself, trying to get comfortable. He stared up at the dark ceiling, his thoughts racing.

How had this happened? He had merely meant to talk to Eva this night, to try to clear the air after what had happened with them and Chloe, and to ask her about the ring she had left for him. His fingers went to the ring and he started to fidget with it. He wasn't even sure when or how he had gotten the idea to take Eva down here, or to show her the labyrinth. He guessed it came from some need to get her to trust him again, to say thank you for everything she had done for him these past few years. Sharing this most secret and important part of himself seemed to be the best way to do it, and by God, it had worked.

She had kissed him. He still couldn't believe it. He would have been happy with just her touching him and looking into his eyes. She had taken that extra step. He didn’t know what to do with himself. She had never been afraid of him, had never flinched away from his grotesque appearance or touch. He played the moment over and over again in his mind. She had looked at him with love in her eyes and touched him with affection in her caress... and then she pulled his face to hers and kissed him. They were floating in the air when it happened. Jasper felt like, in that moment, he didn’t need blood sorcery to float.

He had chuckled, apologizing. He hadn’t kissed anyone in five years. He was out of practice.

She had smiled at him, a secret promise in her eyes of perhaps more kisses to come in their future.

He wondered if he should have done anything differently, but didn’t think so, other than telling her not to pull on the ley lines. He hated seeing her hurt and hoped that it would heal quickly tomorrow night with minimal fuss from her Beast. He wished he knew what that light-devouring shadow they had seen in the labyrinth was, if not the Lasombra.

But that was a mystery for another night.

Jasper was about to reach over to turn out the light when he heard a soft footstep outside the library. Eva’s white face appeared around the bend and she saw him curled up awkwardly on the sofa. She had let her hair out of the braids and it hung in loose curls around her shoulders. She had also removed her jewellery and gloves.

“Jasper… please come to bed with me,” she requested softly.

He sat up, blinking at her. “Are… are you sure? T-the bed’s not very big,” he stammered.

“Yes, I’m sure.” She held out a hand for him.

He still hesitated. Things were moving very fast. “Um…”

“I’m not asking you to… do anything you don’t want to do,” Eva said. “Just rest beside me. Hold me. Please?”

That didn’t seem like it should be a problem, and Jasper knew that if he didn’t take her up on this, he would regret it forever. “Alright…” He stood up off the sofa. “Clothes on though. I, uh… I don’t want to scare you.” He smirked in self-deprecating humour.

Eva shook her head with a little smile. Jasper thought he saw something sad in that smile. “Yes, clothes on, but your body doesn’t frighten me, Jasper. Come on. The sun will be up soon.”

He turned off the lamp and moved by her side. They went back into the bedroom together. He could see where she had folded down a corner of the sheets to climb into his bed. She lay down, close to one edge, and he lay beside her. They ended up facing each other. The narrowness of the bed forced them into physical contact. Part of him was still afraid to touch her, even though it was safe now. She stroked his face gently with her scarred hand in a soothing gesture. She could feel the tension in his body.

“Why are you so afraid?” she asked, her voice very soft.

“Um… because…” He took a deep breath, for emotional effect, and tried to calm his nerves. Just because his heart wasn’t racing didn’t mean he didn’t still feel the anxiety of it. “It’s been… so long since… I’ve had a girl, or anyone for that matter, in my bed… or since anyone’s kissed me… and I’m afraid of… I’m afraid of losing you. I thought I did once. I thought I had finally done something horrible enough to drive you away, but… you came back… and…”

“And you’re worried you’ll do something horrible and I’ll leave again,” Eva concluded.

Jasper nodded and swallowed.

“Well… I have no intention of leaving again any time soon. I care for you a lot and… I’m afraid of losing you too. When I heard about the fire at the Maharajah and I got your text about the sun I… I was terrified.” Her cold fingers slipped under the edge of his hood, causing it to slide back a little. “May I?” she asked.

“Um… sure.”

Eva pulled back his hood, exposing his pale, bald scalp and the black network of veins that criss-crossed it. Her fingers gently traced a few of them before her hand settled on his chest.

Jasper found himself relaxing into her touch and slipped an arm under her. She scooted forward a little to rest her forehead against his chest, nuzzling her face into his clothing. He rested his cheek to the top of her head, his arm curling protectively around her back.

“Actually… it was you who saved me from the fire. Saved the rest of the coterie too,” Jasper said, thinking back to that terrifying day in the recent past.

Eva looked up at him, curiosity in her eyes. “Oh?”

“Yeah. Um… I woke up first when the explosion went off… but only because of wake with evening’s freshness.” He smiled at her and she returned the smile. He knew how to do that ritual because of the blood sorcery she had taught him several years ago. “I was able to help wake the others. I um… I don’t know… I don’t want to think about what would have happened if… I wasn’t prepared for that, so… thank you.”

“You are entirely welcome,” Eva said. She pressed her face up towards his and softly kissed him again.

If their hearts were beating, their chests would have burst. Jasper returned the kiss and gave Eva’s body a reflexive little squeeze when she parted from him. She nestled back down into his chest with a happy little sigh.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a bed with anyone as well,” Eva murmured. “I had forgotten how nice it can be.”

“Yeah,” Jasper agreed softly.

Eva lay quiet and still, her body falling into the death-like daysleep. She looked serene in sleep, like a marble statue of a benevolent goddess. Jasper gave the crown of her head a small kiss before he also closed his eyes and succumbed to sleep.


End file.
